


Kayla's Wish

by a1_kitkat



Series: Fictober 2020 [22]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Future, Boys' Night, Ear Piercings, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Girls' Night, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:33:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27148081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a1_kitkat/pseuds/a1_kitkat
Summary: Michael and Alex knew raising kids would have it's challenges... Their daughter wanting to get her ears pierced wasn't something they were ready for.PROMPT USED - PIERCINGS
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Series: Fictober 2020 [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947391
Comments: 22
Kudos: 61





	Kayla's Wish

“Kayla? Aunt Isobel is here,” Michael yelled through the house to his daughter.

“Coming Papi!” She screamed back before appearing a moment later with her things.

Kayla bounced into the living room, her enthusiasm was almost infectious as she threw her arms around Isobel and grinned up at her.

“I’m so excited, Aunt Izzy,” she exclaimed.

“So am I, now don’t forget to kiss your Papa goodbye,” Isobel replied.

“Oh, right,”

She dropped her bag and sprinted from the room. Isobel laughed to herself while Michael rolled his eyes.

“Oh, don’t make that face,” she roused him. “You’d run off like that too if I told you to go kiss Alex…”

“Fine,” he agreed, since she was right. “You sure you’re up for this?”

“We’ll be fine, Liz is coming over too and it’s gonna be a real girl’s night.”

“Thank you.”

Michael pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek, so grateful to have her in his life and in Kayla’s. Michael and Alex hadn’t once hesitated to take a young girl and her brother into their home but she was growing up and they both knew she’d need womanly advice one day… One day, long into the future, but it didn’t hurt for her to know well in advance that Isobel was one she could turn to.

“And we’re absolutely having mani-pedi’s so get used to it,” Isobel added once their hug ended.

“What’s that?” Michael frowned.

“Manicures and pedicures, Michael,” Alex said as he joined them with Kayla in tow.

“Oh,”

Alex laughed and Kayla hugged him before running to Michael and hugging him too. She grabbed her bag and took Isobel’s hand.

“Bye papi, bye papa!” She declared as she began to pull Isobel towards the door. “Come on, Aunt Izzy!”

“Do I even want to know what you two have planned for tonight?” Isobel asked them over Kayla’s head.

“Guys night with Chris,” Alex said. “And Max and Kyle.”

“Cute, well, have fun,” she hugged Alex then Michael. “See you both in the morning,”

They walked her to the door then watched as Kayla ran to Isobel’s car and jumped in without looking back. Alex slid his arm around Michael’s waist and held him while they waved, the car leaving the drive as Isobel drove away with their daughter.

“This is a _good_ thing, remember?” Alex said, pressing a kiss to Michael’s cheek. “She’s growing up and she adores Isobel.”

“She was just in such a rush to get out of here…”

“Because she was excited. She’s been looking forward to tonight for weeks,”

Michael turned around and wrapped his arms around Alex’s neck, guided him back from the front door and kicked it closed with his foot.

“So have I,” Michael teased. “I’ve _really_ been looking forward to _tonight_. Once the guys have left and Chris is asleep…”

“Well, look how quickly you changed your tune,”

“Quick, throw me on the couch and play me like a drum kit,”

“Uh, what?”

“It was the first thing I could think of… Fine, finger me like you’re playing a guitar.”

“Please stop with the instrument analogies.”

“Blow my clarinet?”

Alex laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. He looked into Michael’s eyes and his heart just swelled with love and adoration. This was the man he’d _married_ , the man he’d been in love with for half of his life, the man he had two children with. He loved him so much.

“Fine,” Alex hissed. “Bedroom, now, but you’ll owe me double tonight…”

Michael grabbed Alex’s hand and immediately began to pull him towards the bedroom, his other hand already unzipping his pants. The second the door was closed, Michael pressed Alex against it and kissed him.

“I love you so much,” he whispered.

“I know, I love you too,” Alex replied. “Now, hurry up and drop your pants.”

Michael didn’t need to be told twice.

*

Kyle showed up with pizza, Max came with beer for the adults and chocolate milk for Chris. They settled in the Living room, Michael & Alex on the couch with Chris between them. Max was in the armchair and Kyle was sprawled on the floor while they watched Despicable Me until Chris fell asleep. 

Michael carried him to bed then returned to the living room. Alex stretched out, his legs across Michael’s lap while they continued making the beer Max brought with him disappear.

“Hey, check this out!” Max showed his phone to Michael.

A message from Liz with a photo of her and Kayla’s matching nails was on the screen. Both were grinning from ear to ear which made Max smile. Michael grabbed the phone from him so he and Alex could see it better.

“She looks so happy and grown up,” Alex whispered.

“ _Of course_ she’s happy, you two are great parents,” Kyle spoke up. “She loves you and you both spoil her.”

“But we’re not…” Alex paused, handed the phone back.

“We don’t have lady parts is what Alex is trying to say,” Michael added.

“Well, I would’ve worded it better,” Alex elbowed Michael.

“She doesn’t care about that… does she?” Kyle wondered.

“No, she doesn’t… She’s got Liz and Isobel and Maria and Jenna and Rosa and Mimi-” Max started.

“We want her to know she can come to us about anything,” Michael told them. “But she _can_ go to Is or Liz or anyone else too… Alex just worries that-”

“Michael!” Alex warned him. Michael reached for Alex’s hand.

“Fine, we both worry that… we know she misses her mother and neither of us can really, truly be an ideal substitute,” he said.

“Kayla loves you and she adores all of us. You guys have nothing to worry about,” Kyle said. “Now come on, next movie… I’m in the mood for something scary. How about Children of the Corn?”

“No!” Both Alex and Michael replied at the same time. They looked at each other and smiled.

Kyle selected a different movie and Michael went to clean up the empty pizza boxes. He was in the kitchen when Max came to get a glass of water. Being the lightweight he was, he needed to balance his beer with water or he’d feel it in the morning.

“Out with it,” Max said to him.

“What?” Michael replied.

“Whatever it was you didn’t want to say out there…”

“Fine,” Michael sighed and lowered his voice. “Kayla has always been… closer to me than to Alex but I feel like she’s pulling away from me now. She’s the one who asked to be with Isobel tonight and she begged for weeks before we gave in, mostly because we didn’t want Isobel to feel pressured into having her for the night… So, I feel like there was a _reason._ Something she didn’t want to tell us…”

“She’s a young girl, Michael. You weren’t around at the time but after Isobel and I were adopted, it took a while but Isobel pulled away from me when we were about ten or eleven and was really close with mom for about a year. She’s a smart kid, you’re amazing parents to her, but if she needs a woman’s company every once in a while, it’s nothing against you and Alex, okay?”

“I can’t believe I’m taking parenting advice from you,”

“And I can’t believe I’m giving it to _you_ of all people… But you deserve this life, Michael. You have a loving husband and two precious children. I envy you, so much,”

“Oh, how the tables have turned,” Michael joked. 

He started back towards the living room but sidestepped and headed to Chris’s room. He pushed the door open and saw him curled up in his bed. Michael slipped into the room and placed a gentle kiss to the sleeping boy’s forehead. When he stood up, he found Max standing in the doorway, smiling at him.

Michael placed his finger to his lips, telling him not to say a word but once he was out in the hall and had pulled the door closed behind him, Max pulled him into a hug. It was brief but enough. Max released him without a word and went straight into the living room. Michael followed and sat down next to Alex, took his hand and kissed his palm. He couldn’t keep the smile from his lips, he’d waited his entire life for this but it was finally his. Husband, kids, family and friends. The life _he’d_ dreamed of, he finally had.

*****

Kayla talked about her girl’s night with her aunts non-stop for a week. Both Michael and Alex were happy she’d enjoyed herself so much and tried not to take her excitement too personally.

It was a Wednesday, about three weeks after the girl’s night, when Michael came home to surprise Alex for lunch (and maybe sneak in a nooner) but he was the one who ended up surprised.

Alex was having lunch with Isobel and his eyes lit up at the sight of Michael.

“What are you doing home?” Alex asked as Michael swept around the table and kissed the crown of his head.

“Please tell me you didn’t come home for a nooner,” Isobel said as she made a face.

Alex laughed then pulled Michael down to meet him for a proper kiss on the lips.

“Michael is way too _classy_ for that,” he told Isobel.

“Actually, I just wanted to surprise you,” Michael replied. He leaned over to whisper in Alex’s ear. “And _maybe_ have a nooner,”

Alex blushed then playfully slapped him as Michael dropped into one of the vacant seats. He reached over and started stealing fries from Alex’s plate.

“You brought Crashdown food?” Michael asked her. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing, Isobel and I have lunch together every Wednesday,” Alex said.

“Since when?” Michael argued.

“Since I told you about it two months ago,” 

“I don’t remember you telling me…”

“Well, you were in bed at the time and wearing nothing and-”

“And I don’t want to hear anymore!” Isobel injected. “Alex and I have been having weekly lunch for months, okay?”

“You don’t have to get bitchy about it,” Michael grumbled as he reached for another fry. Alex gently slapped his hand away. Michael reached for Isobel’s but she did the same.

“Look, it’s actually lucky you’re both here because we need to talk about Kayla,” Isobel said to them.

Michael and Alex exchanged a nervous look.

“It’s nothing awful, I promise, it’s just…” she paused. “The night she stayed at my place, we painted each other’s nails and ate chocolate and watched movies.”

Michael reached for Alex’s hand, waiting for the ball to drop.

“We watched ‘Grease’ and she loved it but… when the movie was over and I put her to bed, she asked me to pierce her ears for her,” Isobel said.

“She what?” Alex asked.

“Seriously? Did she not remember Sandy saw the blood and threw up?” Michael added.

“Well, she’s growing up and she’s always looking at my earrings and Liz’s and… I think she’s nervous to ask you two because you might say no, that she’s too young.”

“She _is_ too young,” Alex agreed.

“She’s old enough,” Isobel said. “Let’s not forget you had a piercing once,”

“You had several if I recall,” Michael said to Alex. “And they looked damn sexy on you.”

Alex blushed but held firm as he looked at Isobel.

“How do we approach this?” He asked her.

“You’re asking _me_?” Isobel replied.

“Well, you’re telling us,”

“Honestly, if it’s what she wants and she understands what's involved, I don’t see why we wouldn’t let her,” Michael spoke up. 

“I guess she’s old enough to look after it, keep it clean and everything,” Alex agreed. “I was old enough to not have to ask permission when I got mine…”

“Since you’re both in agreement, I think if she comes to you and asks you then go from there but please don’t tell her I told you or she’ll never trust me again,” Isobel said.

“No, we won’t. Thank you for telling us, Is, really,” Michael smiled at her.

She picked up the remnants of her burger and pushed it across the table to Michael as she checked her watch.

“I have to go, parties don’t plan themselves,” she said. “And I hope you let Kayla stay over again. She also admitted to liking being in a place where the toilet seat is permanently down.”

Isobel waved to both of them and left the kitchen. Michael had already finished her burger and fries, and was now eying off Alex’s food.

“She really is growing up so fast,” Alex said.

“Just think of the cute earrings we can buy for her,” Michael replied.

“Michael, you buy her so much already…”

“And how many soldier toys did you buy Chris last month?”

“That’s beside the point.”

Michael laughed, pulled out Alex’s chair and turned it so he could look into his husband’s worried eyes.

“Like Is said, we’ll wait for her to come to us and ask before we start packing her bags to send her off to college,” he said to Alex who leaned forward and kissed him.

“I meant what I said too,” Michael reached up and brushed his thumb across Alex’s earlobe. It felt like a lifetime ago he’d donned an earring himself. “Earrings on guys are so, so sexy…”

Michael leaned closer and nipped at Alex’s lobe with his teeth, causing him to groan.

“Are you still up for that nooner?” Alex gasped.

“I’m always _up_ for you,” Michael replied.

Alex grabbed Michael’s hand as they both climbed to their feet, lips crushing together in a fierce kiss. Both clawing at each other’s clothes as they navigated their way through the house and into the bedroom. Michael pushed Alex down onto the bed, closing the door with his telekinesis as he pounced upon his love.

******

Michael wanted Kayla to know it was okay for her to ask them for something but he didn’t want to betray Isobel’s trust so he had to opt for a craftier approach.

It was the following Friday night and Alex was getting the kids ready for bed while Michael finished clearing up from dinner. He then grabbed Alex’s copy of their yearbook and placed it on the coffee table.

Chris called for him to read a bedtime story so Michael went to read to him while Kayla was in the bathroom. After tucking Chris in and kissing him goodnight, Michael returned to the living room where he found Kayla on the couch, flicking through the yearbook.

On Fridays, she was allowed to stay up later than her brother and would watch a tv episode with Michael and Alex. 

Michael stood in the doorway, watching her. When Alex came up behind him, he indicated for him to be quiet and pointed at Kayla with the yearbook. Alex made a face.

“Kayla, sweetheart, what have you got there?” Alex asked as he walked into the room and sat beside her. The book was open at Alex’s picture.

“Papa, is that _you_?” She asked.

“It is,” Alex replied. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled Kayla to him. She settled against him while still staring at his photo. “You’ve seen photos of me and your Papi in high school before.”

“You had your nose pierced?” 

“My septum, yes,”

“And your ear too?”

“Yeah,”

“Wow,”

Alex pressed a kiss to the top of her head as she continued to flick through the pages. She smiled at the photos of Liz and Kyle then stared at the double page spread from prom.

“When did you…” she trailed off.

“How old was I, you mean?” Alex asked. “Legally, I had to be eighteen because I needed a parent’s permission and no way was my father going to let me… So, Kyle’s dad took me on my seventeenth birthday.”

“Seventeen?” Her face fell.

“For my septum, yes… I mean, I had my ear done at sixteen.”

“Sixteen,” she echoed.

“There’s no minimum age requirement for ear piercings,” Alex told her as Michael moved into the room and sat down on her other side.

“There isn’t?”

“Well, with parental consent anyway.”

Alex’s eyes sought Michael’s and they looked at each other over her head.

“So, if I wanted to get my ears pierced?” She asked.

“All you have to do, sweetheart, is ask,” Michael said to her.

She turned and looked at him in surprise.

“Really?” She exclaimed. Her head turning back and forth between Michael and Alex.

“Really,” Alex whispered.

***

It was another week before she finally worked up the courage to ask them but they immediately said yes and began to make plans for who would take her and when.

As Alex was tucking her into bed, she reached out and wrapped her hand around three of his fingers.

“Papa?” She whispered.

“Yes, sweetheart?” Alex said, brushing her hair from her face.

“Are you and Papi still arguing over who’s going to take me to get my ears done?”

“No, we haven’t been arguing,”

“Yes, you have and I don’t want you to anymore.”

“Kayla,”

“I don’t want Chris to come because it’s going to hurt and I might get scared… I don’t want him to see me scared.”

“Sweetheart,”

“You’ve had yours done before so… Can you take me? Please?”

“Kayla,”

“And Aunt Isobel, too.”

“Don’t you want Papi to come too?”

“I don’t want him to see me get scared either,”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Alex leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Papi won’t think less of you if you do get scared.”

“Well… Can this just be something _we_ do together? Please?”

“I would like that, if you’re sure?”

“I love you, papa,”

“Goodnight Kayla,”

Alex left the room and crawled into his bed with Michael, pulled him into his arms and nuzzled his face into his neck. When Michael asked if they were ready to make a decision, Alex relayed his conversation with Kayla. To his surprise, Michael simply smiled and kissed him.

*****

Kayla was nervous as she walked into the piercing studio, head held high, clutching Alex’s hand. Isobel followed close behind while Alex assured his daughter everything would be fine, that this was the same place he’d gotten his piercings in high school.

While they waited, an older man with several piercings of his own came out and paused.

“Why aren’t you just the cutest family ever,” he declared. His eyes scanning Kayla and Isobel. “Pretty as your mamma,” he told Kayla then looked at Isobel. “And a hottie for a hubby,”

“Ewww,” Isobel frowned. “No, he’s married to my brother,”

“Oh, sorry,” he stepped towards the counter and Alex shot a look at Isobel, one that clearly said ‘Ewww?’

“Alejandro,” Alex greeted the man who looked up and really _looked_ at Alex.

“Manes?” He frowned. “Well I’ll be! What happened to you?”

“I grew up,” he replied. “And now my daughter would like her ears pierced.”

“Growing up is no excuse to take out your piercings.”

“How about joining the Air Force?”

“Well… I suppose… You still enlisted?”

“Uh, no, not anymore,”

“So, you want another then? What about a nipple this time?”

Alex shook his head while Isobel tried not to giggle.

“My daughter, Kayla, please,” Alex said.

“Hey,” Isobel whispered. “Have you considered getting pierced again? Michael did say it was a sexy look for you…”

“Isobel!” Alex hissed though he was blushing.

Kayla was still clinging to Alex’s hand as Alejandro led her towards the stool. She climbed up and continued holding Alex’s hand but looked nervously towards Isobel.

“You’ll be fine, sweetie,” Isobel said with a smile. Kayla grinned back but squeezed Alex’s hand.

“Ready when you are, little miss,” Alejandro told her. She nodded her head then squeezed her eyes shut.

It was over before she knew it and she was giddy the moment she saw her reflection in the mirror.

“Thank you, Papa!” She cried as she threw herself into Alex’s arms.

“You were such a brave girl!” Alex replied.

“Are you going to get one, Papa?” Kayla asked him.

“What?” Alex blinked. Isobel grinned.

“Well, _are_ you?” Isobel asked him.

“I…” Alex trailed off as he looked at his own reflection in the mirror, and could remember his younger days and the black stud he used to wear.

“We could match, Papa,” Kayla whispered, looking up at him with her wide excited eyes.

“I don’t know… What would Papi say?” Alex asked her.

“That he loves us?” She pressed.

Alex looked at Isobel who was smirking at him.

“Oh, we both know what he’ll say and there won’t be many words involved!” Isobel winked.

Alex looked down at his daughter, at the studs in her little ears and shook his head in disbelief.

***

Michael was in the kitchen, preparing lunch and bracing himself for when his daughter was going to step into the kitchen and proudly show off her newly pierced ears.

He heard the front door open then close, followed by the sounds of multiple footsteps.

Kayla came running into the room and launched herself at Michael. He caught her in his arms and lifted her into a hug. The silver of her earrings caught the light and he tried to remain neutral but he felt tears welling up. She was growing up so fast!

“Do you like them, Papi?” Kayla asked him.

“Like them? I love them! They look so perfect and make you look so grown up. You’ll be giving Aunty Izzy a run soon for most outrageous earrings! But I just love these ones and how much they suit you.”

Michael kissed her cheek and slowly lowered her to the ground, suggesting she go find her brother and tell him lunch is ready but she didn’t leave. Isobel and Alex had finally joined them.

“She was the bravest girl I’ve ever seen in my life,” Isobel told Michael.

“Of course she was,” he agreed. “That’s my gi…”

Michael had finally set his eyes on Alex and trailed off as he began to gnaw on his bottom lip.

“Wow,” Michael gasped at the surprise that greeted him.

“Do you like it, Papi?” Kayla asked him. “It was my idea!”

“In that case, I _love_ it even _more_ ,” Michael said to her though his gaze was still locked onto Alex.

He slowly moved towards him, reached up but didn’t touch the piercing. He simply wrapped his arms around Alex’s neck and looked into his eyes.

“Kayla, why don’t we go find your brother?” Isobel grabbed the girl’s hand and started to drag her from the room.

“But I wanna hear what Papi really thinks?”

“Trust me, you _really_ don’t…”

Once they were clearly out of earshot, Alex voiced his nervous question.

“You don’t think it’s… silly, do you?” He whispered. “An aging old man trying to recapture his youth…”

“I think it was sexy in high school and is even _sexier_ on you now,” Michael replied. “I _definitely_ approve and I can’t wait to show you just how much,”

“Michael…”

He pressed his body closer to Alex’s, letting him feel how much Michael loved the earring on Alex.

“I’m already imagining you wearing nothing _but_ the earring and….” Michael nipped at Alex’s neck.

“Just remember it needs time to settle so you can look but not touch.”

“Oh, I’ll find plenty of other places to touch,”

“Michael!”

“I’m so proud of Kayla and her initiative… and that this is something the two of you have together.” Michael kissed Alex just once before pulling away. “Now, let's go find Kayla and take a photo of you two to commemorate this special day,” 

As they left the room, Michael leaned over to whisper in Alex’s ear. “And I’ll take a lot more of you later tonight for my _private_ enjoyment,”

“You know Alejandro _did_ offer to pierce my nipple, too.”

“Hmmmm…”

They both giggled before leaning in for one more kiss. Michael spent most of the day being unable to keep his hands-off Alex. Kayla thought it was cute, Chris thought it was hilarious and Alex just felt loved. He looked at his daughter with her earrings and was touched that she'd wanted to share it with him. Now if only he didn’t have to share _his_ with Michael but each time Michael touched him, kissed him, smiled at him, all Alex could do was smile and kiss him back, his heart filled with love and happiness.

  
  



End file.
